In a conventional powered vehicle, a power-producing device can deliver power to one or more wheels on the vehicle. The power-producing device can be an engine, vehicle, battery, etc. The power is transferred from the power-producing device to the wheels through a power-transferring device such as a transmission or drive assembly. The power-transferring device is connected or mounted between the power-producing device and the one or more wheels. There can be multiple connections between the different components such as shafts, gearsets, etc.
In many conventional setups, the interface between the power-producing device and the power-transferring device has limitations. The interface can be a flywheel or adapter plate that mounts to the power-producing device. In some setups, the interface is not able to pilot the housing of the power-producing device with the housing of the power-transferring device. This can cause an output shaft of the power-producing device to be misaligned with an input shaft of the power-transferring device. In addition, it can be even more difficult when three or more housings form an interface because each additional housing can increase the tolerance between the power-producing device and the power-transferring device. This increased tolerance can lead to additional misalignment.
Further, external lines are often required to supply and transfer a fluid between the devices. There can be leaks in the external lines which reduces the amount and flow rate of the fluid. This may impact vehicle performance and require additional downtime for the vehicle to be serviced (e.g., adding more fluid(s) to desired level(s)).
Another problem with many conventional interfaces between power-producing devices and power-transferring devices is the required complex machining between housings. When two housings are mounted to one another, for example, a seal may be necessary to prevent fluid from leaking through the interface of the two housings. A gasket, o-ring, or other seal may be used to prevent leakage. However, in some instances, a recess or other similar design must be machined into a surface to accompany a seal. This additional machining can add cost and time to the manufacturing of the housing. Also, if the depth of the recess is not properly machined, the two housings may not be properly sealed. Alternatively, the seal or o-ring can be cut or damaged after mounting the housings to one another.
Therefore, a need exists for an interface that pilots two or more housings to one another and simplifies the machining of the mating surfaces. A further need is for an interface that facilitates the flow of a fluid between the housings without the use of external lines.